Teaching Expository Text
(Build background knowledge through pictures and video pieces)
Mrs. Smith
helpforlearning@yahoo.com
Teaching Expository Text
Essential Questions: How do good writers choose to present information? How do I know I am clear about what I just read? How do
the authors' text pattern choices impact the message?
Possible presentation structure:
1.Begin the unit with a discussion of definitions using Text Structure Lesson Handout. Explain that signal/cue words can help to
determine a pattern. Direct attention to the organizers for each pattern. Have students note that they may have seen some of the
“frames” while reading Science and Social Studies texts. (included text pieces here may be used for jigsaw presentations)
2. Student Jigsaw-Each student group teaches their pattern to the class.
3. Beyond Practice-additional practice with photos, video clips and text pieces
4. Text structure quiz practice pieces are found on Quia.com
http://www.quia.com/rr/989628.html
http://www.quia.com/rr/990987.html
5. Test on Quia.com
6. Video-Hoodwinked-structure practice with a media format (review sheet with students before showing)
7. Ancestry Brochure-Summative Assessment-writing component
Directions for Jigsaw: Students Jig Saw” the five different text patterns and present to the class. (This was the favorite activity of the
year.) Begin by dividing students into five groups, one for each structure. Each person within the group has an assigned task to
complete for their group. Internet and YouTube are needed to access videos and practice pieces. Allow approximately two-four days for
students to research and organize their materials and another five days for presentations. Groups presentations are to include one
instructional piece, with a completed text organizer for that piece, a matching video clip and a practice piece (to be completed the next
day) from the resources listed on the Jigsaw Resource chart. Students will need to notify teacher which practice text piece they would
like to use to allow teacher copy time. Follow presentation order on Jigsaw Group Planning Sheet.
Activities on Beyond Chart may be used for additional class practice or as part of regular instruction. Run text copies for students if you
used this. For these pieces: view photo, discuss, then view video sample if there is one, read instructional piece. Students complete
Formative Skill worksheet. If time, compare/contrast video to text piece.
Materials Needed: Project Organizer, Chart paper for students to create their organizer, LCD projector, internet access, youtube
access, various worksheets (summative, formative) resource chart, DVD-Hoodwinked. Hoodwinked Activity
Additional worksheet practice can be found on http://www.ereadingworksheets.com/
Mrs. Smith
helpforlearning@yahoo.com
Possible Common Core Standards Addressed
CC.7.R.I.5 Craft and Structure: Analyze the structure an author
uses to organize a text, including how the major sections
contribute to the whole and to the development of the ideas.
CC.7.R.I.7 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: Compare and
contrast a text to an audio, video, or multimedia version of the
text, analyzing each medium’s portrayal of the subject (e.g. how
the delivery of a speech affects the impact of the words).
CC.7.R.I.10 Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity: By
the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the
grades 6–8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as
needed at the high end of the range.
CC.7.W.4 Production and Distribution of Writing: Produce clear
and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and
style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Mrs. Smith
helpforlearning@yahoo.com
Jigsaw Resource Chart
Instructional Pieces
(Run one of each for students to
make their selections)
1. Description
-The Blonde Guitar
-In the NIght (Young Writers Society)
-Sample paragraphs
Suggested Practice Pieces
(Run copy of each for all students
for text marking)
Your Amazing Brain
Video Clip Examples
Choose one
Like a Girl
Octopus
Vid Clip
(background knowledge)
2. Sequence
-The Big Mess
-The Procedure
-Sample paragraphs
Relay Cameron the
Machine
Bag of Chips
Lonley Boy
Mystique
Carrot Clarinet
3. Comparison/Contrast
-Buying a Horse
-Fables (select two to C/C)
-Sample paragraphs
The Prince and the
Pauper
Cat and Dog
Nests and Houses
Twins
Pit Stop (1950’s and today)
4. Cause and Effect
-Good Health
-Sample paragraphs
Pearl Harbor
Vid Clip
(background knowledge)
5. Problem and Solution
-Should Dangerous Sports be Banned
-Sample paragraphs
Helpteaching.com
Mrs. Smith
helpforlearning@yahoo.com
Bernard the Bear
Honda
Trash
Butterfly Disaster
Pit Stop
Coke's Solution
Go For Broke
Ormie the Pig
Internet Addresses for Jigsaw Activity
1. Description
-The Blonde Guitar
http://grammar.about.com/od/developingparagraphs/a/topicsupport.
htm
-In the Night (Young Writers Society)
http://www.youngwriterssociety.com/viewtopic.php?t=26617&p=3138
01
-Sample paragraphs
http://english120.pbworks.com/w/page/19006860/descriptive%20para
graphs
2. Sequence
-The Procedure
http://www.learner.org/workshops/readingk2/pdf/session4/s4_activity
.pdf
-Sample paragraphs
http://english120.pbworks.com/w/page/19007023/process%20paragra
phs
3. Comparison/Contrast
-Buying a Horse
http://www.cengage.com/resource_uploads/downloads/0534508294_
22086.pdf
-Fables (select two to C/C)
http://www.umass.edu/aesop/fables.php
-Sample paragraphs
http://english120.pbworks.com/w/page/19006833/contrast%20and%2
0comparison%20paragraph
4. Cause and Effect
-Good Health
http://www.fauxpress.com/kimball/w/9.html
-Sample paragraphs
http://english120.pbworks.com/w/page/19006810/cause%20and%20ef
fect%20paragraphs
5. Problem and Solution
-Should Dangerous Sports be Banned
http://www.studymode.com/essays/Should-Dangerous-Sports-BeBanned-1142462.html
-Sample paragraphs
http://english120.pbworks.com/w/page/19006810/problem%20and%2
0solution%20paragraphs
Your Amazing Brain
http://www.havefunteaching.com/worksheets/readingworksheets/reading-comprehension-worksheets/seventh-gradereading-comprehension-worksheets/seventh-grade-readingcomprehension-worksheet-your-amazing-brain
Vid Clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmcHH4wPpMU
(background knowledge)
Cameron the Relay Machine
http://www.teachnology.com/worksheets/language_arts/sequence/ver1/
The Prince and the
Pauper
http://www.k12reader.com/worksheet/the-prince-and-thepauper/
Pearl Harbor
http://www.k12reader.com/readingcomprehension/GR7_The_Attack_On_Pearl_Harbor.pdf
Vid Clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3e99lfmmDN0
(background knowledge)
Helpteaching.com
Mrs. Smith helpforlearning@yahoo.com
Like a Girl
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjJQBjWYDTs
Octopus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhbBuJ66f4Y
Bag of Chips
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdhUifjOahs
Lonley Boy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYRMbj6U2Ww
Mystique
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6WujTvwZ0c
Carrot Clarinet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BISrGwN-yH4
Cat and Dog
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEWbrFiDd5I
Nests and Houses
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/l
esson54/nests-houses.pps
Twins
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bB9PPjp04o
Pit Stop (1950’s and today)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOJbM0aXZp0
Bernard the Bear
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m0cr1NN20I
Honda
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQWBnwu1oZs
Trash
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TAxV0vrGb8
Butterfly Disaster
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlzNE94tYIM
Pit Stop
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABVzRJvufi4
Coke's Solution
http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/83896348/
Go For Broke
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rhXqCt844s&list=PL443E6C
196B040EAF
Ormie the Pig
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUm-vAOmV1o
Beyond
Building background-discuss photo. View video piece. (Except for Suffrage piece. Discuss photo,
read text piece, view video.) Analyze structure of text piece. Complete Assessment for each text
piece below. Use Formative or Summative worksheets for each text pattern.
(Non-Fiction)
Compare/Contrast
Video Pieces
(building background knowledge)
Photos
(building background knowledge)
Ellis Island
Immigrants
Bad Romance:
Women's Sufferage
Women's Suffrage
The Last of the Sioux
Chief Sitting Bull
Gold Mining
Nancy Gooch
Black Blizzard
The Dust Bowl
Coming to America (TSTRN)
Or link #2
Problem/Solution
The Fight for Suffrage
(TSTRN) or
Remembering the Fight of Women’s
Suffrage
Description
Wounded Knee
Sequence
The Monroe Family (TSTRN)
Cause/Effect
Black Blizzard (TSTRN)
Mrs. Smith
helpforlearning@yahoo.com
Internet Addresses for Beyond
Compare/Contrast
Coming to America (TSTRN)
http://blogs.iwms.wlwv.k12.or.us/staff/Vande
rZD/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/NonfictionComing-to-America.PDF
Or link #2
http://parkwayschools.net/homepage/ltaylor1
/File/Coming_to_America.pdf
Problem/Solution
The Fight for Suffrage
(TSTRN) or
Remembering the Fight of Women’s Suffrage
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lynnyeakel/womens-suffrage-constitutionday_b_3934805.html
Description
Wounded Knee
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-army-massacres-sioux-at-wounded-knee
Sequence
The Monroe Family (TSTRN)
http://www.hamiltonlocal.k12.oh.us/Downloads/Monroe%20Family
.pdf
Cause/Effect
Black Blizzard (TSTRN)
http://www.ilwritingmatters.org/uploads/2/9/
4/9/29499299/narrative_prompt8.pdf
Ellis Island
http://www.history.com/topics/ellis-island/videos
Immigrants
https://sp.yimg.com/xj/th?id=OIP.M573edbc7
63bc1cea1a7a1d2c8d2fb7a3o0&pid=15.1&P=0
&w=300&h=300
Bad Romance: Women's Sufferage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYQhRCs9IHM
Women's Suffrage
http://www.history.com/photos/suffrage-andthe-women-behind-it
The Last of the Sioux
http://www.history.com/topics/american-indianwars/videos#the-last-of-the-sioux
Chief Sitting Bull
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Sioux_War
_of_1876#mediaviewer/File:Chief_Sitting_Bull.
jpg
Gold Mining
http://www.history.com/topics/gold-rush-of1849/videos#gold-rush
Nancy Gooch
http://www.weeklypioneer.com/2009/09/nan
cy-gooch.html
Black Blizzard
http://www.history.com/topics/dustbowl/videos/blackblizzard?m=528e394da93ae&s=undefined&f=1&f
ree=false
The Dust Bowl
https://sp.yimg.com/xj/th?id=OIP.Mfd39d8734
e71ff5fa541807e026b7da6H0&pid=15.1&P=0
&w=300&h=300
Mrs. Smith
helpforlearning@yahoo.com
Summative Assessments for all students
A. Test Expository Text Structure I
http://www.quia.com/quiz/3900263.html
To Print - Click printer to print a hard copy of the quiz. Quia formats
the quiz for printing. Select File > Print from your browser to send the
quiz to your printer.
Or have students print copy of their completed test.
B. Create a brochure incorporating the five different text structures.
Topic: My Ancestry: Interview Questions A Choice that Changed My
World
C. Analyze DVD-Hoodwinked - Identify and explain examples of
Cause/Effect, Problem/Solution, Description, Sequence and
Compare/Contrast. Analysis Form
Mrs. Smith
helpforlearning@yahoo.com
Included Unit Resources
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Ancestry Project Directions
Ancestry Project Template
Angel/Ellis Island Alternate Organizer-Student
Angel/Ellis Island Alternate Organizer-Teacher
Alternate Angel/Ellis Island Compare/Contrast Organizer
“Choices” Quotes for Bell Work (word sheet and power point
format)
Formative Skill Worksheet
Hoodwinked Worksheet
Jigsaw Activity Organizer
Planning Calendar
Summative Skill Worksheet
Text Structure Lesson Worksheet
Mrs. Smith
helpforlearning@yahoo.com
Unit Resources
I had internet access to use for units I created. This power point
has hot links on it to access materials used. When students are
selecting materials from the internet, you may want to use the
list with the internet addresses. Below are some additional
resources that are in the unit, or ones I used to create it.
-http://english120.pbworks.com
-http://www.ereadingworksheets.com/text-structure
-Graphic Organizers from U-46 website
-Staysmart (Scholastic) not always available
-Text Structure Frames by Kristi Orcutt, Literacy-Specialist,
kristio@essdack.org.
www.essdack.org
-Teaching Students to Read Nonfiction by Alice Bynton and
Wiley Levins (TSTRN)
Mrs. Smith
helpforlearning@yahoo.com